Tristyn Daughtry, Economic Development Planner, Town of Winterville

In an interview with Invest:, Tristyn Daughtry, economic development planner for Winterville, discussed the town’s growth, planning, infrastructure, partnerships, and priorities. “Our goal is to manage growth intentionally,” Daughtry said.

What changes have had the greatest impact on Winterville?

The biggest trend shaping Winterville over the last several years has been residential growth. We’re seeing many new rooftops and people choosing to live here. That creates a tremendous economic opportunity. Most of the growth has been residential, so our focus now is on complementing that growth with retail, restaurants, infrastructure, recreation, and similar investments. The growth hasn’t changed our focus as much as it has helped further define the types of commercial investment that would complement the large amount of residential growth we’re experiencing.

Which planning choices will influence the town’s future?

We’re a small town within the robust Greenville-Pitt County metropolitan ecosystem. As we move forward, we’re constantly considering how to grow in a balanced way. We want to preserve our community character and the feeling of a small town while also benefiting from and providing access to the amenities of a larger metropolitan area. Growth is positive, but we don’t want it to come at the expense of the qualities that made people want to live here in the first place.

We have a strong sense of community, and maintaining it is important. When we discuss economic development, we’re also talking about investing in parks, downtown, community events, walkability, and the infrastructure that makes those things possible. That guides much of our decision-making and planning. We support community events such as Market on the Square, a series centered on local vendors that brings people downtown and helps strengthen our sense of community.

We’re also a golf-cart-friendly community, which is somewhat unique for this area and provides another way for residents to connect with our downtown and community. Winterville is a state-certified retirement community. Our population includes young professionals, families, and a strong retiree community. That diversity affects how we plan parks, walkability, and other community features because we’re serving a wide range of demographics.

Which infrastructure needs are most important?

Our infrastructure needs include continued expansion and capacity of water and sewer service, especially as development moves into areas outside of our existing service footprint. We need to ensure that service is available and meets the needs of incoming developments. Public safety is another priority. We currently operate from one fire and EMS location and one police department, so as we grow, we have to consider future public safety needs, including the potential for additional facilities. That also requires adequate staffing. Infrastructure includes ensuring we have enough public safety personnel to support growth and that our roads can handle it.

An upcoming NCDOT project will widen Old Tar Road, one of our major thoroughfares, from two lanes to four. The project will also include intersection improvements, and we’re excited about what that investment will mean for mobility through the community. We’re also planning bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure, including safer intersections and a sidewalk network that serves people who walk or bike. Recreational infrastructure matters as well because our parks must support the events we want to program. In more rural areas, economic development often depends on water, sewer, and electricity. Continuing to expand and coordinate those services to support future development would help us tremendously. 

How do partnerships support Winterville’s development?

Winterville is a small town, and we’re proud of that. At the same time, we’re part of a much larger regional economy and benefit from strong partnerships across Pitt County and the Greenville metropolitan area. The county does an incredible job supporting economic development at every stage, from business and industry recruitment to retention and expansion, workforce development, and ongoing support, all of which strengthens the broader regional economy.

We partner extensively across the county, which contains many major economic drivers, including ECU, ECU Health, Pitt Community College, manufacturing, and biopharma. Winterville benefits from those institutions and industries, while our growth, workforce, businesses, and quality of life contribute to the strength of the larger regional economy. Winterville plays an important role in that regional economy through our residential growth, by being a home to Pitt Community College, through our growing business community, and by offering a downtown and quality-of-life amenities that appeal to residents across different stages of life. The opportunity to partner is organic because of the way county resources work.

When we promote Winterville, we are promoting the entire metropolitan area, and I believe that works both ways. Economic development doesn’t stop at town limits. Invest Greenville, a public-private economic development organization, has worked hard to engage communities and partners from across the area because our region is only as strong as all of its parts.  We’re also fortunate to be home to Pitt Community College, which is a major economic and workforce development asset for Winterville and the broader region. Through its workforce training, business and industry partnerships, and support for small businesses and entrepreneurs, the college plays an important role in helping our economy grow.

Where do you see Winterville’s strongest opportunities?

Much of our opportunity comes from translating the residential growth we’ve experienced into additional commercial investment, while ensuring that our infrastructure can support that growth. That requires financial and fiscal planning, investment, and setting priorities for a growing community. Our economic development planning will center on creating commercial opportunities. After a period of heavy residential growth, we plan to place a strong emphasis on retaining and supporting our existing businesses because a community is only as strong as what it already has.

Business retention and expansion will be a top priority, alongside recruiting businesses that complement the community. We’re looking at retail, restaurants, and service businesses that can support a growing population. Those are the two things we need to complement our growth. We’re now conducting that planning to ensure we remain fiscally responsible and prioritize the most pressing needs.

What commercial activity are you seeing now?

Many things are happening at once. Over the last several years, residential developers have viewed Winterville as a place where they want to build, and our number of rooftops has grown significantly. Commercial growth has not occurred at the same pace, but we are now seeing that momentum begin to build. We’re also seeing new commercial space come online and increased interest in several of our major corridors.

Winterville also benefits from local investment and a strong small-business culture. Many people are exploring entrepreneurship and opening small businesses, which adds to the community’s character. We’ve seen commercial projects emerge to support that environment. The story of economic development in Winterville isn’t necessarily defined by one major, multimillion-dollar announcement promising a certain number of jobs. Commercial investment is also creating leasable space for existing small businesses. That supports local opportunities, serves community needs, and helps preserve Winterville’s character.

What are Winterville’s key priorities?

Our goal is to manage growth intentionally. We’re trying to expand the commercial tax base, strengthen our downtown and community identity, and continue investing in people and partnerships. Those are our key priorities for the next three to five years. We know we can’t do what we do without partners locally, regionally, and across the state, and we’re fortunate to have great partners. Our town slogan is “A Slice of the Good Life,” and ultimately, our elected officials and town staff are working to make sure that as Winterville grows, we preserve and strengthen the quality of life behind that identity.